Aria's expression shifted, the playful spark in her eyes replaced by something sharper — the kind of gleam Rhys had learned meant trouble with a side of excitement.
"It's the monthly Tidebeat," she said, leaning against a railing that overlooked the distant ocean. "Every full moon, the ocean sends something back — beasts drawn by the mana currents under Bluewave. They rise with the tides, trying to reclaim what the city took from the sea."
Caria groaned. "You mean that time of the month when the whole city goes into lockdown and we don't sleep?"
Aria grinned. "Exactly! Think of it as a festival… but with more screaming and fewer fireworks."
Sophia sighed, folding her arms. "You call that a festival?"
"Hey, it's tradition," Aria said, unbothered. "The people here even celebrate it afterward — Tide's End Feast and all that. Free food, free music, hero bonuses. What's not to love?"
Rhys frowned slightly, glancing toward the horizon. "That explains the walls," he murmured.
